7 Aug 10 – Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle)

By Craig: After our short but successful stay in Halls Creek we headed into the Bungle Bungles or Purnululu National Park.
We arrived a little late as usual, the road in was a little on the rough side with the usual corrugations, water crossings and rocky outcrop sections appearing on every second crest.

We knew of another group heading to Wilardi camp site so we thought we’d check to see if they had arrived.
It was a pleasant surprise to not only be welcomed but to know they had also been successful in catching up with other friends.
The group had altogether 6 boys, Sam was beside himself and loved every minute as they all got along fabulously.

I have been looking forward to seeing the Domes and I wasn’t disappointed.





























What a beautiful place, the gorges and chasms are magnificent with many of the walks leading deep down into narrow pathways with huge boulders wedged above, evidence that large rock falls had in the past happened and could happen again.




















































Two features I found fascinating within Mini Palm valley were the layered structure of the rock formations and the grow anywhere nature of the Palms.






























Disaster strikes at such inopportune times and as we left the Bungles relaxed and in peaceful resolve, I calmly said to Louise ‘All is good, what a wonderful experience, lets just cruise out of here and head to Broome’. Well if Murphy was present I’d kick his green backside. No sooner were my words spoken when the trailer wheel was hard against the guard. Corrugations 3: Newsomes 0. The spring hanger had torn from the chassis like it was alfoil and we were about to wait three days for a tow.
Looking back one good thing about sitting roadside, is the number of fellow campers that stop initially to check if all is ok and then stay for a while chatting about life and travel. We did get back on our way but we ended up in Kununurra, 300kms in the opposite direction. But everything happens for a reason, right?

Worthy of comment was a visit out of the blue on the second day when frustrations were all but at a peak, a couple were sent to deliver the worst news (tow truck delayed another day) and ended up staying for a chat about life and things. I can't begin to explain however it's suffice to say that their visit was an uplifting experience, one I won't forget in a lifetime.

By Lou: The Bungle Bungle’s lived up to my expectations and were magnificent.
It ain’t a World Heritage Area for nothing.
It was great to share camp with Liam, Mandy, Christopher and Luke (from Hall’s Creek) along with their friends Alison, Peter, Josh, Lachie and Finn.


On the first day we were there we explored Mini Palms Valley and Echidna Gorge.



















On the second day we walked along Picanniny Creek (setting for Qantas commercial), sat in awe of Cathedral Gorge and wandered amongst the Domes.










A significant feature of the area were termite mounds, some sprouting in the most unlikely of places.



















We were a very relaxed and content crew at the end of our stay as we pulled out of the campground for the 2 hour drive to the main highway. We were not even 10km into it before we heard an almighty whine and all three of us joined in a chorus of “oh no”. Craig pulled off the road and we jumped out to assess the damage. It was hard to believe it but the $@!&*^ springs had sheered away from the chassis of the trailer causing the axle to push the wheel backward. We were going nowhere fast. As Craig contemplated what to do, I silently prayed I had renewed our roadside assistance membership (I had). Initially the tow truck was to arrive the next day so we pulled out tents and sleeping bags to return to camp for the night and left the disabled trailer roadside. The good news was we had the sleeping equipment to cope with such an emergency, the bad news was the tents had got wet and then gone mouldy. When the next day the tow truck company again delayed pick up for 24 hours the ranger took pity on us and allowed us to set up our tents next to the trailer to save a return trip to the formal camping ground. We ended up leaving the trailer to be collected on day 3 while we gave up in frustration and drove 330km ahead to Kununurra, the opposite direction to where we’d hoped to be heading.

Despite the frustration, there were worse places to be broken down and we were heartened by the number of people who stopped to check we were okay, and were probably oblivious to our death stares as they cruised off in their perfectly capable camper trailers. We also felt very sorry for the couple who were selected at random by the Ranger on Day 2 to pass on a message to us from the tow truck that we were to be delayed a further 24 hours. They looked pained to have to pass on the bad news but even they ended up staying to chat for 45 minutes and brightening our day.

2 Aug 10 - Tanami Rd (Alice Springs to Halls Creek)

By Craig: We had heard the horror stories and then some reports favoured the road but the Tanami is one of those roads you need to judge for yourself.

We started out from Alice Springs after checking the weather forecast and road reports. The weather was to be mainly fine with scattered showers and the Tanami Rd was open to the border of NT/WA.
After 26kms or so out of Alice we turned onto the Tanami and I was doubting the weather report from the start.
The road was sealed although narrow in sections so we knew we were OK up to the roadhouse at Tilmouth Well. When we arrived at Tilmouth Well the rain was still light with dark clouds looming in the distance. Later in the night the heavens opened and we again doubted the weather reports.
We woke to having no further rain since about midnight and the ground had soaked up most of the rain except for a few puddles.
As we departed Tilmouth Well with the knowledge that the Tanami Rd was open, it wasn't long before we hit the dirt road and the rain returned in heavy showers. As we progressed along the track the rain set in and the track conditions quickly deteriorated.
We were set on making Rabbit Flat roadhouse for the night however the track conditions worsened and at one point Rabbit Flat seemed so far away.
However we persevered and arrived at Rabbit Flat late afternoon with an expectation that although fuel was not required the place would provide an overnight camp site.


A short look around was the best we could give as rain was coming, so the chap (owner of Rabbit Flat) said. In fact 'Buckets of rain' he said and in fact that was all he said except that we should camp up the road about 4kms. Quite the character, if you have met him you'll understand!
You have to be in the area to really get a sense for the place but I’ll try to paint a picture: No camping at Rabbit Flat, the owner's not interested anymore (he has his reasons), you’ve heard the horror stories (mostly myth) and you've seen an endless array of burnt out vehicles and locals roadside squatting whilst demolishing other vehicles yet to be burnt out, rain is looming and safety is a concern in the back of your mind.










We did find camp in the company of another couple who just happened to arrive at a similar time and we all woke to a beautiful sunrise, quite a surprise given it had rained most of the night.















The ground was soft under foot which raised questions regarding the track conditions.
The road ahead for us was wet and slippery with sections completely covered by water.




It rained nearly all the way to Woolfe Creek Crater except for a small patch on the WA border.



The section of road where the northern end of the Canning Stock Route CSR and the Tanami meet was extremely wet and boggy. When we had visited the southern end of the CSR (Well No.1) a month or so prior the track conditions then where dry and dusty, the contrast was staggering.






The rain varied from light to very hard and continued until we arrived at the crater where it poured and then let up for our walk to the crater rim. A quick walk with an even quicker photo and we were off. A quick whip around the vacant camping area which appeared to be a great spot in drier weather and we were back on track.
We thought all was well until the volt meter started to drop and one by one all instruments and other power-using items ceased to work. Once the voltage was under the 5-6 volt mark the engine stopped and we rolled to a stop.
A quick assessment, multi meter test and fuse check and I was sure the alternator had stop functioning.
We charged the battery but it wasn't going to hold its charge for long.
Two groups of people had stopped to offer assistance, one of which would not long after departing our location receive a flat. Trouble all round however just short of strapping the generator to the bonnet as it has a 12 volt outlet, a remark from one passerby reminded me of something that would save the day. As suggested by our auto electrician we had installed a switch which transferred direct voltage from the deep cycle battery to the crank battery. I wasn't sure how long it would last as the device was suited to a one off press in an emergency flat battery situation but we had 60kms or more to cover, it was getting dark and it was raining. With a push of the button the volt meter sprang into life, the car started and we were back on the road.
As a support the second group that had stopped to assist suggested they would follow us to ensure we made it. This provided reassurance and although further assistance was not needed we were unable to stop and thank them for their help before we parted ways due to the need to continue while things were going good.
All there was to do now was find a replacement alternator and wash the car. Well there was school for some!

By Lou: We didn’t leave Alice Springs til after lunch with nerves a bit frayed from the pack up and shopping expedition and headed towards the Tanami Road in pretty overcast conditions. We only travelled about 200kms and decided Tilmouth Roadhouse would be a good spot to camp the night. By the time we got there, we decided to lash out on a cabin just to save the misery of setting up and packing up in the rain. It was money well spent as when I went to the loo I could hear a camping couple swearing their heads off at each other, no doubt a reaction to the miserable conditions. Heading in the opposite direction were two teachers from the next town of Yuendumu who were heading to the city (Alice Springs) for the long weekend (Bank Holiday) and to get away from the madding crowd gathering for a sports carnival. They thought we were mad to continue on but we decided to see how things panned out in the morning before deciding whether we should push on or retreat to Alice Spring and take the bitumen north.

In the morning we chatted to 3 couples who had ventured down the Tanami from the north the day before and feedback of the track conditions ranged from “it was my worst nightmare” to “it’s fine if you take it slow”. Of course my radar zoomed in on the former and I was all for retreating under the expectation that surely the road would be closed, but Craig of course erred on the side of 'she’ll be right mate' so…we set off up the track. It was very wet in parts but obviously was far less intimidating without darkness and rainfall as had been the case with the other travellers. There were a few slippery and muddy patches but I don’t think they alone detracted from the experience. It was just pretty boring scenery and with the outside temperature at 15 degrees and the sky grey, it wasn’t the most upbeat of experiences. We left Alice to head north and chase the warmer weather and it's 15 degrees? Passersby swore it had been 35 degrees in Hall's Creek yesterday. Just our luck.

Toward the end of the Tanami Road, approximately 100kms short of Hall’s Creek, lies Woolfe Creek Crater. It could have been quite impressive but we had to brace ourselves against the rain for the walk, had a quick look and a check to see we’d all seen it and within minutes we had retreated to the car. Apparently it has been immortalised in the horror flick “Woolfe Creek” but as neither Craig nor I had seen it we failed to be spooked.

As Hall’s Creek loomed nearer, I was looking forward to the end of corrugations but my heart sank when Craig announced “oh no” and declared we were losing power. Of course, I said to myself, let’s have a mechanical drama at 4 ’clock in the afternoon just as light is starting to fade and we haven’t had a shower for 3 days. As Craig set to working out what to do, a car pulled up to check we were all right. “I know you!”, I said. And sure enough it was a couple, Mike and Jane, whom we had met over near Denham two months ago.
Although they couldn’t offer any direct assistance they did agree to catch up with us that night at the Hall’s Creek caravan park before heading off and coming to grief themselves with a tyre puncture. Meanwhile another car stopped to help and within an hour we were back on track. Fortunately our autoelectrician had set up a switch in the vehicle before we left home which we could use to transfer power from our deep cycle battery to the crank battery so it was with the grace of that function that we limped into Hall’s Creek.

Before we could finish setting up, a fellow named Liam came over and immediately identified from the red concrete over everything that we had just come up the Tanami. He and his family had also done the same thing with their campertrailer and he was still quite wired from the experience. Sam played with his two sons Christopher and Luke and next day we met his wife Mandy before they headed off for Purnululu National Park. “Catch you down the track”, we hailed in unison.

True to their promise we caught up with Mike and Jane in the park and had a good natter about what they’d been up to since we last met. Mike had recently undertaken a photography course so Craig picked up a few pointers for our own shots before they headed on their way.

While Craig sorted out the replacement of the alternator, Sam and I did some school.

29 Jul 10 - Alice Springs

By Craig: On recommendation we stayed just out of town in a caravan park adjacent to the Todd River. The number of locals walking out of the Todd River flats and into town was astounding.

I don’t think I gave Alice enough time as I was focused on getting the car serviced prior to heading up the Tanami Rd. All good as far as the car was concerned.
We took time to visit the war memorial and lookout and the rest of our time there seemed to slip by quickly while we took care of restocking supplies and having timeout.
I’m not sure about the town of Alice Springs I didn’t get a good feeling about it and I know Louise was disappointed in not seeing all it had to offer but it was, or appeared to be, yet another town marred by a lost population of people. A people whom appear caught between old culture and new (White man) ways of living & alcohol.
At this point I was tiring of the ‘You must respect our ways’ rhetoric whilst the ‘we literally litter your streets’ visual display was a daily occurrence.
I couldn’t wait to get out of there and back on the road, Tanami corrugations and all.

By Lou: I had been quite looking forward to visiting Alice Springs, even after the initial disappointment that it didn’t provide a vista to Uluru. I would love to tell you about the aboriginal art galleries, tour of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, School of the Air, and the Desert Park… but in our 5 days there we didn’t get to see any of that. Instead we just seemed to get involved in school catch up, car wash/service, laundry etc etc.
Sam was happy within the confines of the caravan park as we’d lashed out on the Big 4 which had a jumping pillow, Leap of Faith and cool playground. It was kid city but amongst all the hubbub Sam spent most of his time with Nathan and Charlotte whom we had met at King’s Canyon.
























We also spent an evening with their parents Carolyn and James in the heated comfort of their Jayco campervan. Did I mention that it has been cold for 100 years? At least the days are warm.

The sale of alcohol in town is very restricted as part of a strategy to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related harm. You can only buy takeaway grog after 3pm, unless you are after cask wine and then you have to wait till 6pm and can only buy 1 cask per person. You even have to present ID every time you purchase alcohol. It's a very effective strategy because it takes away the convenience of picking up supplies when you're down the street on other errands, and you have to make a concerted effort to head back to buy. Anyone concerned about my liver should be pleased to know the strategy worked for me as a deterrent.

After a day of running around shopping for exciting things like groceries, shoes and camp lights I desperately needed to do something touristy so we drove to Anzac Hill, providing a great vantage point over the town. I could quite happily have spent a few more days here but Craig didn’t share my sentiments and was keen to get headed on the Tanami Track up north to the warm weather (hear hear).

25 Jul 10 – West MacDonnell Ranges

By Craig: The Mereenie Loop, as it’s referred to, is a road that circles past a number of gorges in the West MacDonnell Range area. The area in general had experienced some rain in recent times and floodways still required caution on approach.








Our first stop was at Gosse Bluff (Tnorala), the site of two happenings that left an imprint both geographically and culturally. The first was a significant meteor strike only several or so million years ago leaving a fairly large crater.


The second occurrence was the massacre of the aboriginal people who inhabited the meteor site. It appears, as history tells it, that two passing Aborigine tribesmen from out of town decided they didn’t like the inhabitants of the crater area so they massacred them. The two were hunted down by the extended family members and killed in revenge. Sounds like something the Vikings would have done. Ah! Human beings we are all the same!

We visited Redbank Gorge. Two camps were available, Woodlands & the Ridge which was further into the gorge area. What’s another kilometre or so?


Well in comparison the ridge camp ground won hands down for view and I was thankful we decided to do the extra section of road and check it out. A top little spot, looking down into Redbank Gorge and across to Mt Sonder.

With a camp fire and an extremely peaceful surrounding it was a good choice, even if only for one night. The next day we walked into the gorge, the walk included a stroll along a flat creek bed and a little rock hopping from time to time.

From time to time during our walk we encountered caves and although very little was written about them Sam and I upon inspection found old fire pits.

















Other gorges visited whilst travelling the loop were

Ormiston Gorge
























Ellery Creek

















On our first evening the cloud formation appeared to divide the evening sky, quite a spectacular view.














After a while you tend to get the glossed over gorged out feeling however Finke Gorge came with several crossings of the Finke River and a valley of palms to walk around.




Slightly different to deep ravines and sheer cliffs and provided a pleasant walk and a camp ground with solar hot water showers, a bonus for the smelly traveller.























By Lou: I’m glad we chose the ‘long way round’ to get to Alice Springs, as the West MacDonell Rangers were beautiful. Many of the paintings by Albert Namatjira feature this region. When we arrived at his monument we initially thought it was an old cottage chimney. It seems an odd tribute to a creative watercolour artist.












The first photo opportunity after leaving King's Canyon arrived pretty quickly.















The township of Herrmansberg was promoted as part of the tourist trail but apart from the roadhouse and a museum there wasn't much else to it. However, all the gorges along the way were pretty speccy.





Redbank Gorge was magnificent and despite being cold, as the only campers we lit a campfire, set up the PC and watched “Treasure Planet” in our own personal amphitheatre.

Finke Gorge National Park was also a highlight, crossing multiple pebbly river beds to get to the campground which had a few other campers but more importantly a solar hot water shower.









We shared a campfire with 3 lots of other campers: 1 had been preparing their Osso Bucco over a slow fire for hours and the smells were driving us insane, and the other 2 couples were farmers from near Bendigo Victoria and they also provided great company around the fire. As usual, Samuel had introduced himself to them long before we did and was delighted when the socialising reached its peak.